Quabbin Days will return for its second year on Friday, Oct. 9, through Monday, Oct. 12, bringing four days of activities to communities across the Quabbin region.
The celebration is organized by the Friends of the Quabbin, a nonprofit that promotes the region’s natural, cultural and historical significance. Quabbin Days is intended to encourage residents and visitors to explore the 12 towns and support local businesses and organizations.
Ed Comeau of the Friends of the Quabbin said organizers began planning earlier this year to give more people time to get involved.
“Last year being the first, not that many people knew about it,” he said. “More people know about it this year, more people are doing things and we’re building some good partnerships.”
Among the events planned are special programs and open houses at historical societies. The Swift River Valley Historical Society in New Salem will give a presentation on Sunday, Oct. 11, on the Rabbit Run Railroad, the historic rail line that once ran through the Swift River Valley and served communities before the construction of the reservoir.
Stone Cow Brewery in Barre will hold its Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, and the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art will offer free admission on Oct. 11. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation will offer a series of guided walks at the Quabbin Reservoir throughout the weekend, focusing on the reservoir, watershed, wildlife, natural environment and history.
A full list of events is available at QuabbinDays.org.
Comeau said several new partnerships and additions are part of this year’s celebration. Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Co. in Orange will offer a special Quabbin Coffee blend throughout October at participating stores, while The Brewery at Four Star Farms in Northfield will rename one of its beers “Quabbin Days” during the week of the event.
A new Quabbin Photo Contest will give residents a chance to submit photos taken within the 12-town region, with four area libraries participating. Comeau said submissions are not limited to a particular type of subject.
“Really, it could be anything,” Comeau said. “I mean, as a nature photographer, those are my favorite. I like to see the landscape and the wildlife, but also it can be buildings, historical structures, iconic structures, anything that people really feel that showcases the beauty and the heritage of the area.”
The celebration will receive statewide recognition this year through a resolution from Gov. Maura Healey, recognizing Quabbin Days and the importance of the Quabbin region to Massachusetts.
With the event returning for a second year, Comeau said he is considering how it could continue in the future.
“It’s getting some traction, getting legs,” he said. “I still have to figure out how to make it an ongoing, sustainable event.”
Among the possibilities, he said, are eventually having another organization, such as a regional tourism bureau, take over the event and expand it beyond a four-day weekend into more of a month-long celebration. His goal is for it to become an annual tradition that brings people into the region and gives them a better understanding of the area.
“Not only in terms of its beauty, but also its importance to Boston and the Boston area,” he said. “It’s an important water source for eastern Mass, but so many people don’t realize, they don’t understand that.”